Ripafratta
Following
the Abetone road, we meet the town of Ripafratta, the last village
of San Giuliano Terme before arriving to Lucca.
The waterfalls
- Place of interest
In proximity to the town centre above the church of the town, we can find the Fortress of "San Paolino": fulcrum of the defensive system between the border of Lucca and Pisa. The fortress is datable before the year 1000 together with the two prison towers Centino and Niccolai. The fortress is closed for safety reasons.
Hermitage
of Rupecava
The Hermitage of Ripafratta is situated on the hill, on te opposite side of the town of Ripafratta
You can get there by two different roads: the first one is a path, which begins in the town centre of Ripafratta (Via Silvestro Lega) and the second goes through the town of Molina di Quosa (Via Panoramica); this second road is longer but it is totally accessible by car The word The Rupecava means "idug Rock" that is "cave."
In fact we can find two caves: the first one, in front of the entry of the Hermitage, used once as a refectory for the monks and subsequently turned into a deposit of grain; the second cave, called "Cave of the Drop" ("Grotta della Goccia") in virtue of a popular belief that attributes miraculouspowers to a drop of dripping water from the vault of the cavern (the drop has almost disappeared ) This cave contained inside an artistic tabernacle with terracotta statues representing the Virgin Mary between two Saints.
The statue of the Madonna di Rupecava from the year 1326 by Andrea Pisano, is today situated in the church of Ripafratta. Today it is only possible to visit the Hermitage is on 8th September, when the Virgin Mary is celebrated.
